chapinusfandomcom-20200213-history
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party(Draft) The Boston Tea Party was a political protest committed by a group of Massachusetts’s patriots known as the Sons of Liberty. On the night of December 16th, 1773 this group of men disguised themselves as Indians and snuck aboard three tea ships that were docked in the Boston Harbor. Once aboard the ships the men dumped and destroyed every one of the 342 boxes of tea sent by the East India Company. - History.com These actions were responding in defiance to Britain's new Tea Act, which set forth more rules and restrictions in regards to the colonies ability to trade and carry tea. - History.com The Boston Tea Party would become immensely significant because it caused things to escalate between Britain and its colonies to such a point where it would be considered the spark of the American Revolution. The Tea Party would also have a lasting effect and be the model of which many other political protests were based on. Wikipedia Colonial Context: The Colonies had rising controversial tensions with Britain that began thirteen years prior to the Boston Tea Party. This was caused by Britain’s attempts to raise revenue by taxing the colonies. However, these taxes were imposed against the will of the colonial people. This especially created much concern with the Whigs who were uproar about the non-consensual tax. Among the many things that outraged colonists during this time, the thing that received the most disproval was the new act on tea. This would eventually end up being the leading factor to the Boston Tea Party because so many people wanted to demonstrate their defiance and disproval of the act. British Context: Britain had just finished helping the colonies in the French and Indian War. In this war, the British spent over 45,000 dollars in military spending, which put the whole country in a huge financial struggle. The average citizen in Britain was paying twenty-six shillings of tax, while the average citizen in the New World only had to pay one shilling. In order to try, bring themselves out of the hole they were in and equalize taxes with the colonists, British parliament passed a series of acts that would increase tensions with the Colonies in the New World. The first of these acts was set forth in 1765 and called the Stamp Act. It placed income stamps on all paper such as newspapers, legal documents, letters, pamphlets, and even playing card. It was Britain’s first internal tax with the sole purpose of raising revenue for the country and it didn’t sit well with the colonists. Two years later, another act, called the Townsend Acts was imposed without the consent of the Colonies. This placed a large revenue tax on widely used items like glass, lead, paint, and tea and also paid for the British governmental officials’ salaries. When people refused to pay it, Britain sent 4,000 redcoats to occupy Boston and suspended the New York Assembly. This infuriated people in the New World, because it took away the minute voice that they even had in politics. As a result of the uproar, angry mobs took to the streets in Boston. In the confusion of the protesting, the orders to “open fire” were given, and the British troops fired their weapons at the angry crowd killing five of them. This would later be known as the Boston Massacre. Tea Act of 1773: The Tea Act of 1773 practically lit the fuse to the events of the Boston Tea Party. After the Boston Massacre, British parliament retracted all the Townsend Acts except for the one on tea. This produced a momentary tranquility in the colonies until parliament came up with a clever plan in 1773 attempting improv. They gave the bankrupting East India Company a monopoly on the importation of tea to America. This enabled the company to sell tea for a lot less money to the colonists. However the Tea Act wasn’t that bad, it actually decreased the duty that colonists would have to pay for tea. But if the colonists continued to buy tea, they would basically be accepting Britain’s right to tax them against their will. Response to Tea Act: In 1773 the arrival of three British tea ships infuriated and caused a commotion amongst 7,000 Boston Locals. A meeting was organized by these Boston locals and it was resolved the tea ships should leave the harbor with out any duty. In the same meeting, a committee was made, which would take this demand to the customs house in order to force the ships to leave. However the Collector of customs refused to allow it unless duty was paid. After getting news of this a group of 200 men formed and started to march towards the harbor while screaming and chanting war calls; Rebellion and Defiance was in the air, and as Samuel Adams most famously said, “Where there is a spark of patriotic fire, we will kindle it.” Once in the harbor the men were divided into three parties and boarded each ship simultaneously. They then proceeded to opening every hatch, grabbing each crate of tea, and dumping a total of 342 boxes of tea into the water. The next day boxes of tea were floating on the water of the Boston Harbor. To make sure none of the tea could be saved, little boats were sent out to destroy them. George Hewse, a member of the band of Indians shows the extent that colonists were willing to go through to show their defiance in recount of the night of the Boston Tea Party. “A number if small boats, manned by sailors and citizens, who rowed them into those parts of the harbor wherever the tea was visible, and by beating it with oars and paddles so thoroughly drenched it as to render its entire destruction inevitable.” ' ' British and Colonial Responses: The British attempt to raise revenue by taxing tea spurred the events of the Boston tea party which sparked the American Revolution and set the framework for gaining the country’s independence. (Not really sure how fluidly incorporate this into wiki) Most Colonists applauded the actions of the Boston Tea Party. So much so, that the popular phrase “Keep up your courage” came into existence in order to continue colonial defiance. When the news reached New York and Philadelphia, both cities celebrated over the apparent victory. Boston was praised for its steadfast optimism to the tyrannical British policies. Although it is controversial if Sam Adams planned the Boston Tea Party, it is known that he was a huge supporter of it. He publicized it and defended it with passion. Samuel Adams argued that the Tea Party wasn’t just a drunk mob, but a critical protest that was the only chance left of maintaining the country’s constitutional rights. However Britain wasn’t as big as a fan as the colonies were. Britain was furious. Governor Hutchinson is outraged, and calls the dumping of the tea “High Treason”. They act quickly and don’t put much thought into their next step. Prime Minister Lord North even said, “Whatever may be the consequence, we must risk something; if we do not, all is over.” Britain could not let this go unpunished, they to act fast to show the colonies who was still in power. So they passed the Coercive Acts, which were also known as the intolerable acts of 1774. These acts closed Boston ports, which decreased the colonies income; it put new British government officials in colonies, and set forth a new harsh quartering act. The intolerable acts also appointed new Massachusetts officials, no longer permitted the town to have meetings, and set forth the Quebec Act. The Coercive Acts basically took away any and all independence the colonies had left. Later Actions: Britain would continue to try to improve is economy, by taxing the colonies. Eventually, they realized that they were becoming more and more distant from the colonies. However, the British could not let go of the colonies, they couldn’t admit defeat, they had to have the colonies under the rule of the British Flag. The colonists in the new world would eventually get sick of being restricted so much, that they were willing to take action. The issue for them was never the tax, but how the tax was passed without their consent. Ultimately a sense of unity would form in the colonies. They would become more distant from Britain. They wanted an unrestricted trade free of unfair taxes and rules. This is what would lead them to the American Revolution and declaring this nations independence.